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M Faelen

Publications and source records attributed to M Faelen.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Genetic mapping of a mutation conferring sensitivity to bacteriophage Mu in Salmonella typhimurium LT2.

Two strains of Salmonella typhimurium LT2, SA1475 and MA411, were fortuitously found to be sensitive to bacteriophage Mu. The Mu-sensitivity allele of SA1475 was called musA1 and shown to be linked to the histidine operon both in conjugation and transduction experiments. The Mus allele of MA411 was unlinked to the his region and was tentatively designated musB2. Strains carrying large deletions of the his operon were also tested for Mu sensitivity; those of which the his-rib region is deleted were also sensitive to Mu. Transduction data led to the order zee-2 hisOGDCBAHFIE gnd musA. An Hfr injecting the his operon early (HfrK9) an carrying hisG9424::Tn10 delta 4 delta 11 and musA1 was isolated; this Hfr made it possible to introduce the Mus character into most derivatives of S. typhimurium LT2. Since strain SA1475 is resistant to bacteriophage P1, it could be used to select a new P1-Mu hybrid which has the host range of Mu and the transduction properties of P1.

Alleles↗

Polarity of amber mutations in ribosomal protein genes of Escherichia coli.

Two amber mutations have been mapped inside the spcA-strA region (now called rpsE-rpsL) on the bacterial genome. Derivatives of the transducing phage lambda fus3 carrying each mutation were constructed and assayed in ultraviolet-irradiated bacteria to identify the mutated genes and measure the polarity of the mutations. The data indicated that both mutations, 3162(Am) and 3161(Am), affect genes coding for ribosomal proteins: rplC (L3) and rpsN (S14), respectively. It was shown also that each mutation exerts, inside of its respective operon (S10 and spc units), a relatively strong polar effect on genes distal to the mutated locus.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Inversion induced by temperature bacteriophage mu-1 in the chromosome of Escherichia coli K-12.

Induction of the Mu prophage of a lysogenic HfrP4X strongly stimulates the early transfer of the purE gene, which is located far from the origin of transfer. By using a rec- Mu cts62 X lysogenic donor, it was established that this process reflects the inversion of the origin of transfer in part of the Hfr population. Hfr's with inverted polarity of gene transfer were isolated; their analysis suggests that two Mu genomes in opposite orientation surround the inverted DNA fragment. Due to the presence of the Mu genome of the invertible G segment, homologous regions in the same orientation can appear in Mu genomes in opposite orientation. In a Rec+ background, Hfr's with inverted polarity (i) return to their original polarity of transfer by recomination between the two inverted Mu and (ii) produce new F' strains by recombination between the two similarly oriented G segments.

Bacteriophage mu↗

Mini-muduction: a new mode of gene transfer mediated by mini-mu.

We compared the transducing properties of Mucts62 and Mucts62/mini-Mu lysates, using Mu immune and non immune Recqnd recA recipient strains. The Mu/mini-Mu lysates transduced all bacterial markers tested 10 times more efficiently than the Mucts62 lysates in Rec + recipients. Most of the transductants obtained after infection with the Mu/mini-Mu lysates result from the substitution of the mutated gene of the recipient by the wild type allele from the donor, most probably carried on the gigantic variable end linked to the mini-Mu genome. Moreover the Mu/mini-Mu lysates gave a new type of Rec-independent transduction that we called mini-muduction. Mini-muduction requires the activity of Mu gene A and provides transductants which carry the transduced marker surrounded by two mini-Mu genomes similarly oriented, and inserted at random location in the recipient chromosome. The mini-Mu/transduced DNA/mini-Mu structures are able to transpose spontaneously, for instance into a transmissible plasmid, in the presence of Mu gene A product.

Bacteriophage mu↗

Phage Mu-1 mediated transposition: a tool to study the organization of ribosomal protein genes in Escherichia coli.

Phage Mu-1 mediated transposition has been used to map genes coding for ribosomal proteins and elongation factor G inside transcriptional units. The data indicate that 1) the str A and fusA genes belong to the same operon, 2) the spcA and strA genes are expressed independently, 3) the spcA gene is located in a different transcriptional unit to that of the eryA and eryB genes.

Coliphages↗

Stimulation of deletions in the Escherichia coli chromosome by partially induced Mucts62 prophages.

Deletion of bacterial DNA fragments is stimulated in induced Mucts62 lysogens. The host genes located proximally to the prophage are more frequently lost than those which are unlinked to the Mu genome. Genes located on either side of a Mu genome are deleted in the same manner. Like the other Mu-induced rearrangements, this process is recA independent and requires the participation of Mu DNA, as indicated by the fact that a phage genome always replaces the deleted genes. Data are presented which strongly suggest that both ends of the Mu genome are involved in deletion formation.

Chromosomes, Bacterial↗

Expression of ribosomal protein genes in Escherichia coli.

Streptomycin or spectinomycin treatment of an E. coli strain, carrying the strR and spcR alleles on the chromosome and the wild-type (sensitive) alleles on the episome, selects for inactivation of the relevant sensitive allele. After Mu induced mutagenesis, in the absence of selection against extended deletions upon the episome, a large proportion of stro mutants are also spco, and vice versa. However, when markers flanking the strA and spcA gene cluster are simultaneously selected, effectively eliminating long deletions, the majority of stro mutants continue to express the spcs allele, and vice versa. Insofar as inactivation after Mu treatment is due to prophage insertion within or proximal to the genes in question, this result indicates that the genes strA and spcA are not parts of a single operon. In virtue of the high frequency of extended deletions observed in the absence of suitable counter-selection, we must place a word of caution upon the use of phage Mu-1 as a means of isolating polar mutations and defining transcriptional units.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Model for the enchancement of lambde-gal integration into partially induced Mu-1 lysogens.

Temperate phage Mu-1, which is able to integrate at random in its host chromosome, is also able to mediate integration of other circular deoxyribonucleic acid, as a lambda-gal mutant unable to integrate by itself. After mixed infection with lambda-gal and Mucplus, galplus transductants are recovered that have the lambda-gal integrated in any circular permutation, sandwiched between two complete Mu genomes in the same orientation, the whole Mu-lambda-gal-Mu structure being found at any location in the bacterial chromosome. Here we show that such a lambda-gal can integrate in an induced Mu lysogen. In this case the lambda-gal is again in any circular permutation, between two Mu in the same orientation, but it is always located at the site of the original Mu prophage, and the two surrounding Mu have always the same genotype as the original Mu prophage. Active Mu replication functions are not essential for that process to occur. This suggests that bacterial replication may generate two Mu copies that in some way can regenerate a Mu attachment site that recombines with the lambda-gal. A model is presented that accounts for these observations, may be helpful for understanding some complex features of Mu development, and may possibly offer a basis for explaining spontaneous duplications.

Chromosomes, Bacterial↗